Saturday, December 20, 2014

Playing the "Angles?"

When you live in the United States, a lot happens. Some of which are behind most of the big headlines. Until a week or so ago, I had no idea of any LGBT influence within an agency such as the CIA. When the agency came under scrutiny for it's handling of prisoners in the post 9-11 times. If you remember, (at the time) one of Cyrsti's Condo readers passed along a Director of Intelligence presentation

Now she passed along unique look at behind the scenes from the Advocate: I'm going to pass along a few excerpts: Not too long ago, openly LGBT people were denied federal security clearances. These days, the CIA has an extensive strategy in place to help trans employees confirm their gender expression.The article goes on to tell the experience of Jenny(who declined to give her full name or official title, citing security concerns, in a phone interview with The Advocate) lived as a woman among friends and family but had to don what she calls male drag when she reported to work. It wore on her.

“While we’re undercover, we pledge to be honest with ourselves and the agency,” Jenny says.In fact, the words “You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free” are engraved on the wall in the main building of the CIA. Jenny says everyone there takes that quote seriously.

“I write memos for the highest customers in the country — for the president — and we try to speak truth to power,” she continues. “But if we can’t be authentic and truthful about ourselves, then that’s a real problem.”

Jenny worked with her immediate supervisors, members of the agency’s LGBT employee affinity group (the Agency Network for Gay and Lesbian Employees, or ANGLE), and a dedicated senior officer with the agency’s human resources department. She and her colleagues reviewed the latest federal guidelines around transgender employees and set out on what would be a two-year journey to support Jenny living and working as her authentic self.

It turns out we have a Cyrsti's Condo blog visitor who was a part of the Angle group. Andee!!! Thanks again for your input!!!